Container cover



Nov. 1, 1938. J. E. PAGE CONTAINER COVER Filed May 2o, 1936 nulnllrlllllllm llIIlIIllII/IIAlIllII//lII/Ill/ INVENTOR .fd/tn 'rnqs f e v N ATTORNEY ward collapse.

Patented Nov.` 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFrlcE CONTAINER COVER. John rnest Page, Sydney, Australia, assignor to President and Directors of the Manhattan Company, a corporation oi' New York, as trustee for Gibson-Patent Containers, Ltd., a voorporation of New South Wales, Australia Application May zo, 1936, serial No., 80,686

5 claims: (C1. 22e- 5.7) y

ment with the upper endo! the containerbody This inventionrelates to container covers and more particularly to an improved cover adapted to be securely locked to the container body to reinforce and strengthen the same against in- 'I'his application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 600,843, 'lled March 24, 1932, now Patent No. 2,053,679, issued September 8, 1936.

In containers having bodies made of flexible or collapsible material,. such as paperboard, it is often desirable to provide the top thereof with a strong and relatively rigid rim which will reinforce the top edge of the body and maintain the body in the desired rigid shape. For example, it has become customary to package ice cream in containers having cylindrically shaped bodies formed of paperboard material sui ablyscored to permit collapse thereof in a substantially 'flat condition during shipment and storage. bottom closure is then assembled to the container body and the container set up for use by the packer as required.K p

Covers for such containers have heretofore been provided comprising a metal rim and a ree movable paperboard end piece The fully assembled cover is applied and locked to the container body when the contents have been inserted. 'Ihe container with the liquid or semiliquid cream therein is then storedA in the i'reezi ing room where the cream isffrozen prior to delivery tc the` retailer or consumer. Access tothe contents ishad by removing the paperboard end piece, the rim being left upon the container body to reinforce the same while the contents are being removed.

Paperboard .containers for ice cream are genused. In dispensing the individual portions of` ice creaml from `these paperboard containers,

, they are often subjected to rough handling with the result that the upper ends of the containers collapse inwardly by reason of the fact that the upper ends of thev paperboard bodies become released from the-'shape-maintalning rim.

In accordanceiwiththis invention vthe cover ange andthe container body is so constructed that the cover will iirmly grip vand engage the container body when the completed` cover, in-

cluding the shape-maintaining rim and the removable end piece, is applied thereto. When access to the contents is desired the end piece is piece has been removed the cover rim can be forced into firm gripping and locking engage- The ` by a quickly executed downward pressure vexertedV on the rim. When the cover rim has thus been forced into position the container body cannot be forced inwardly without taking the rim with it. The cover im is preferably made of metallic or other relatively rigid material so that considerable force is required to change its shape.

- An object of this invention is to provide an improved container and cover. assembly in which the cover rim ilrmly grips the upper/end of the container body to maintain its `predetermined 4 shape and prevent inward collapse thereof when the paperboard end piece has been removed.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved container and cover assembly wherein access to the container is achieved by removing thetop portion of the cover, the rimA ily `and quickly applied to the containerbody,

which is provided with an end portion quickly removable to permit unobstructed access to the container contents, the rim portion oi the cover rmly remaining on the container body in iii-m gripping engagement therewithl to ,positively and rigidly maintain the container body in the desired predetermined shape and against inward collapse as the contents are removed. p

Other objects of thisinvention and advantages possessed by my improved construction will be- `come apparent as the disclosure proceeds.

y Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which: f

Ffg. 1 is a plan view of a fragmentary portion of a paperboard blank from which myimproved containers may be formed;

Fg. 2. is a perspective view of my improved cover and body assembly, lcertain parts being broken away to illustrate certain features of the construction; l I

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view through the container and cover assembly, this view being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the container, this view showing thel paperboard Vend piece removed and the cover rim firmly locked to the upper end of the .con-v tainer body to reinforce the same and rigidly maintain the shape thereof;

Fig. 5 is a. vertical cross-sectional view through a container and cover assembly in which the cover rim having a somewhat modified crosspaperboard as' is now commonly used in the assembly of containers for the packaging of ice cream. It is understood, however, that my improved cover construction can be applied to other container bodies than the body illustrated in the drawing. For the purpose of illustration only, therefore, l have shown in Fig. 1 the upper portion of a container-forming blank III having a tab portion II which may be glued, stitched, stapled, or otherwise secured to the opposite vertical side edge of the blank to provide a coniairier body of generally tubular form. The container body may be provided with a pair of diametrically spaced fold lines I2 which permit the tubular body to be collapsed into substantially flat condition during shipment and storage. The container body may be provided with a plurality of intermediate crease lines I3 which facilitate the shaping of the blank into generally cylindrical. form. The crease lines I3 also permit -a certain degree of lateral expansion of the container body when material such as ice cream which expands upon freezing is packed therein. It is understood, however, that this invention is not limited to paperboard bodies formed from blanks such as shown in Fig. l, but is also admirably adapted for use with container bodies formed from spirali;r wound paperboard andl other fibrous, composition or metallic materials which may be either cylindrical or conical in form, or circular, arcuate or polygonal inyro'sssection. v

The upper end of the container body I is pro? vided with an outwardly projecting elementl suc as`a rim or flange I4 to which the covert 1 may be locked. In the form shown in FigsL/l, 2 and 3 the flange I4 is formed as an integral part ofthe body forming blank I0, being hinged thereto along the transverse score line I5. In some instances, it may be desirable to secure the integrally formed flange I4 to the body wall,

Aas by adhesive I1, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. To

permit convenient bending of the flange portion I4 when formed integrally withlthe body wall. it may be` found desirable to provide V-cuts or slots I8 at spaced intervals therein, as shown in Fig. l, to facilitate the bending of the ange I4 over the body wall. It is understood, however, that the ange or rim I4 may be separately formed Aand suitably secured to the outside surface of the body walls as by staples or adhesive I1. The flange portion I4 extends down along the outside face of the body wall a distance corresponding to the depth oi' the cover ange when the assembled cover is in closed position on the container. The rim portion I4 is also provided with spaced lug elements I6 with which the cover flange interlocks when the paperboard end piece of the cover is removed, as will hereinafter be described.

The container cover C, as shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, comprises generally a cover rim which is preferably made of relatively strong, rigid material, such as metal, vand a removable paperboard end piece 22 which seats within a bead portion 23. The end piece 22 is preferably of such size as to seat on the top edge 30 of the container body, as shown in Fig. 3, the inturned bead portion 23 of the cover flange preventing unauthorized removal of the paperboard end piece when the cover rim is locked to the container body. The side wall portion 2| of the cover rim is provided with an inwardly projecting lip portion 26 which is so positioned and arranged that it will seat under and engage the lower edge I9 of the flange portion I4 of'` the container body. It should ,be here noted that the projecting lugs I 6 associated with the body flange I4 are of such size and so spaced as to give the lip portion'26 of the cover rim ample opportunity to grip the lower edge I9 of the ange, I4 at points between the lug portions I6. 'I'he outward expansible pressure of the contents M forces the body outwardly so as to retain the lower edge I9 of the flange I4 in firm locking engagement with the lip portion 26 when the assembled cover is applied thereto, 'the container.

body adjacent the lugs I6 buckling inwardly to a slight degree, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the cover assembly C is lsecured and locked in position during the shipment and storage of the packed contents. If desired, thev inturned lip 26 of the cover' rim may be turned upwardly at a slight reentrant angle, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

When the contents of the container are to be removed, the paperboard end piece is vpulled out from the cover assembly by an upward pull on the same. The cover 22 may be provided with a break-in perforated portion I which can be broken by the hand or with a suitable instrument and the paperboard end piece 22 thus grasped and removed.

The upper end of the body may -now be held in the desired predetermined shape, prevented from collapsing or buckling inwardly, by forcing the cover rim. downwardly until the inturned lip portion 26 thereof snaps into interlocking engagement with the free edges 20 of the projecting lugs I6 of'the body flange. When thus forced into position the lip portion 26 will engage the free the body wall. The downturned portion 25 oi the cover rim is held closely seated against the inside face of the body wall I0 when the lip portion 26 is in interlocking engagement with the free edges 20 of the lugs I6 of the body flange. It is thus seen that the cover rim firmly holda the upper end of the container body in its proper predetermined shape .and positively nprevents inward collapse or separation thereof from the of the cover rim will engage theinside face of stiff reinforcing and shape-maintaining cover rim. f

This improved cover construction is highly desirable in the packaging of ice cream and like materials in containers having collapsible bodies which require a reinforcement at the top thereof to prevent inward coliapse when the contents are being removed. When the cover rim and container body is thus constructed the cover flange positively retains the upper end of the container body in the desired shape no matter how flexible the body and no matter how many collapsing score lines are provided therein. The container body may be provided with any desired form of bottom closure, which forms no part of this invention and need not be further described.

There is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a body and cover assembly of slightly modied form. The body portion 4B of the container is shown slightly conical in shape and the ange portion I4 of the container body is in this form preferably left unsecured to the body side wall. The cover member C comprises a rim piece 30 which is preferably made of relatively strong rigid material, such as non-corrodingmetal. The rim piece comprises a side wall portion 3|, an inturned lip portion 32 at its lower edge, and an inturned bead portion 33 at the top edge thereof. A removable cover piece 34, which may be made-of relatively stii, strong breboard material, has a peripheral edge 35 thereof ltted within and gripped by the inturned bead portion 33 to form a complete assembled cover. It willvbe noted that the bead portion 33 of the cover rim is so contoured as to engage the upper edge 4| of the container body, thus reinforcing the same and preventing inward collapse thereof. In thisform the bead 33 is pressed into gripping position with the upper edge 4| of the container body when the paperboard end piece 34 is removed, and the friction exerted between the flange portion I4 and side wall portion 3| of the cover rim and other parts of the cover rim and body retainvthe cover rim in place. 'I'he position of the cover rim when the paperboard end piece 34 is removed, is fully shown in Fig.` 6.

It is now seen that there has been provided a cover and body assembly for containers in which the relatively rigid cover rim remains on the container body when the paperboard end piece has been removed, the cover rim and body being so complementarily constructed as to rmly interlock together and prevent inward collapse or buckling of the body. The bead portions `23 and V33 of the cover rims are shaped to closely fit the top edges 3U and 4| of the respective container bodies and do not project into the bodies in a manner which will interfere with they eflcient removal of the contents. The construction herein shown is economical to manufacture and can be associated with container bodies of any shape or form and made from any suitable material.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that varous omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A container of the character described including, a collapsible body member and a cover member adapted to telescope over one end of said body member, said cover member including a relatively stiff rim portion adapted to grip the body member, a removable cover piece associated `with said rim permitting access to the contents,

said rim having a bead portion retaining said end ing so shaped that when the cover piece is removed said bead may be forced into gripping engagement with the upper edge of the container body to prevent inward collapse thereof, and cooperating projections associated with said rim and body member for retaining said bead in fixed gripping engagement with said upper edge.

2. An improved container including, a collapsible body member having an outturned ange formed at one edge thereof, lug portions projecting from said flange, a cover member including a relatively stiif rim portion and a removable end piece, said rim portion having an inwardly extending lip adapted to interlock with said ange 3. A container and cover combination includ- Ying, a container body and a cover member adapted to telescope over the end of said body, said cover member including a. relatively stiff rim piece and a paperboard end piece, said rim piece having a bead portion normallyoverhanging the peripheral portion of said end piece when the end piece is in container-closing position, said end piece being removable from the rim piece when access to the contents of the container is desired, said container body and rim piece having cooperating means to lock said rim piece and end piece in. container-closing position, said rim piece and container body having additional cooperating locking means associated therewith to lock the bead portion of said rim piece rmly to the upper edge of the body when the paperboard end piece has been removed..

4. A container and cover combination including, a container body and a cover member adapted to telescope over one end of the container body, said covermember including a relatively stiff rim piece and a. paperboard end piece, said container body and rim p iece having cooperatingr means to lock said rim piece and end piece in container-closing position, said rim piece having means to grip the upper edge of the container body preventing inward collapse or exure thereof when the paperboard end piece has been removed to permit access to the contents, and interlocking means associated with said rim and body adapted to xedly retain said gripping means in gripping engagement with the upper edge of the container body.

5. An improved container including, a body member having'an outturned flange formed on one end thereof, a cover member including a relatively stiif rim portion and a removable end piece adapted to telescope over said container body and engage said outturned fiange, said rim portion having a bead formation at the upper edge thereof adapted to seat over and grip the upper edge of the container body when the end piece has been removed, and cooperating projections associated with said rim and container body operative to fxedly retain said bead formation in gripping engagement with the upper edge of the container body.

JOHN ERNEST PAGE. 

